Seen on our trip to Portsmouth from Ryde on 30 October 2013 Jack James is a Damen Stan Tug 1605 operated by J.Butcher & Sons Ltd which ceased trading earlier this year. I believe that along with the rest of the fleet she is up for sale.

Having a GT of 44.42 she was built by Damen in the Netherlands in 2002 and is 16.89m long with a 5.29m beam and 2.51m draft.

Propulsion is via two fixed pitch propellers in nozzles powered by two Caterpillar type 3408C TA/C main engines giving an output of 1080 bhp at 2100 rpm.Top speed is 10.4 knots with a bollard pull of 14 tons.Deck equipment includes an anchor winch, towing hook and pushbow with rubber fender.The wheelhouse is fitted with a dual control position whilst sanitary facilities and a store are located below deck.

J.Butcher & Sons Ltd had connections dating back to 1809 as licensed Waterman & Foy boatmen i.e. boats and men available to give assistance to shipping. The company was based in Portsmouth's historic camber where they had offices, slipways and workshops.Over the years the company provided a wide range of services to ships of all sizes using the docks and moorings in Portsmouth. Services included towage assistance and mooring as well as the transportation of personnel and stores to ships using anchorages in the Solent and off the Isle of Wight.Jack James is one of a pair of Stan 1605 tugs introduced in 1995 and 2002 to cater for larger vessels using the ports facilities. In spite of introducing these two more powerful tugs/workboats a decline in services and the increasing size of commercial vessels seems to have forced the company to close.

Leave a Reply.

Author

My interest in ships and the sea started back in 2006 when I worked for a couple of years on the banks of the River Mersey. I have since been on a couple of cruises around the Med and in the Far East and have started to take more interest in researching and photographing some of the ships and other vessels seen on my travels.